Beyond - sequel to Fire
by Bethisjolllly
Summary: After making Rat Man wipe the memories of her friends Ada struggles to watch her friends live without her. The situation is not improved by the growing violence of the Cranks.
1. Dead

Dead.  
Everyone is dead.  
Wolf.  
Newt.  
Teresa.  
Chuck.  
They are all dead.  
Ada sees them dying.  
Paralysed with fear.  
"Kid! Hey! Wake up!"  
Ada sits up with a start and nearly head buts Minho.  
"You alright kid?"  
 _Minho_...  
She wipes her nose on her sleeve, "yeah. Fine."  
"Really? You were screaming like nobody's business?" He plops down next to her.  
"I- it was just a bad dream." She knows she can't tell him, he wouldn't understand.  
"You can talk to me if you want, I'm meant to be the Leader."  
 _Shit_.  
"You wouldn't understand."  
"Try me. I've been through some klunk in my time."  
"I-" She struggles to think of something, anything to make him feel like he helped, "All my friends think _I'm_ dead, most of them _are_ dead. I probably know about four people out of sixty who aren't dead."  
He releases a heavy breath, "I've been there. You from Group B?"  
"Not quite." It's almost amusing, he recognises the situation but not the girl.  
"Where are you from Ada? I don't remember seeing you anywhere before the Flat Trans."  
"You wouldn't."  
"What?"  
"Nothing." She closes her eyes and flops back down, Minho sits with her for a moment before lying down next to her.


	2. Banishment

"Alright Marg?" Ada spent her time helping Marg, an elderly woman with a particular gift for mending clothes.  
She'd been keeping her distance from the Gladers and Group B, it hurt too much.  
"Alright Ady Lady. You?" The old woman was lovely, like a mother to Ada.  
"Yeah Marg, what've we got today?" She plonks herself down on the tree stump, the familiar bumps not bothering her anymore, and pulls a rag from the basket.  
"Heard you hollering last night, those terrors still bothering you?"  
"Yeah Marg, they're still bothering me." Marg, apart from Linus, was the only one who knew about who Ada was, it felt good to be able to talk to someone about her problems.  
"Wish them Wicked folk were here now, I'd show 'em what for." The woman jabs out with her needle in a fashion that could only be likened to a sword fight with a borrower.  
"They've been shown what for Marg, Tommy rung Rat Man's neck, remember?"  
"I remember," the old woman grumbles, "I'd still like to stick him one."  
Ada laughs, which feels good, she only laughs for Marg. There's not much to laugh about in this new world.  
Lunch comes and goes and she heads to the lake with a basket of clothes to wash that Marg has sewn up.  
After all the clothes have been soaked and laid out on the rocks for drying Ada has about an hour to kill so she practises her karate, making her way through the Kata before practicing hitting a target - or a circle she'd carved into the tree.  
Minho watches from afar, this girl impresses him. The determination in each punch, each kick and each block tells him she's been through hell.  
He smiles and walks off, listening to her grunts.  
The end of the day comes without hassle and everyone settles down to sleep.

"Ada!" Minho.  
Minho called her name and she spun round immediately, she'd been heading to Marg but Minho wanted her?  
Minho got her.  
"Yes?"  
"Can you go with Thomas and Brenda? They're doing scavenging duty and Marie- we were attacked yesterday and lost a scavenger. You seem competent during weapons training."  
Once a week everyone had to take part in weapons training, it didn't matter that the only weapons were knives.  
 _Oh. Okay_.  
Disappointment floods Ada's body, _I thought you wanted me. I thought you wanted me to be with you_.  
"Sure." She stands up and walks to the jeep they'd managed to come across.  
"Ada?"  
"Yes."  
"Can I ask you something?"  
"You just did." She grins but his face remains emotionless, "sure."  
"Why do you let me lead?"  
"Because you're a good leader."  
 _True_.  
"You listened to me from the first day. You can't have known I was a good leader just from what went down in the Maze."  
"Because I trusted you."  
 _Also true_.  
"Why?"  
 _Crap_.  
"You have a... Trustworthy face?" Ada attempts.  
He glares at her, "thanks for the help."  
 _Now he hates me._  
This was hard, spending time with her friends, with her Minho. She had no clue how to act. Linus told her to just tell them, explain what happened but that would confuse them, they have enough one their plate without memory wipes being added to the mix.  
She heads out with Brenda and Tommy.  
"So what's the plan, Tommy boy?" She realises her slip up too late.  
"Did you call me 'Tommy'?"  
"Yes. Why? Just an abbreviation."  
"Well don't... I had a friend who called me that."  
"Had?" She tries to keep an expression of oblivious innocence.  
"I shot him."  
 _They made him think he shot Newt? The Swipe was meant to make things easier._  
"That sucks."  
"Don't you want to know why? You could be in a car with a cold blooded killer."  
At this she snorts, "cold blooded killer? Your first day in the Glade you fell over your own fe-"  
 _Shit. Me and my big mouth._  
The jeep jerks to a halt and in seconds Brenda is in Ada's face, knife at her neck.  
"I'm gonna ask you some questions and you'll answer. Got it?"  
Ada nods nervously.  
 _How the hell am I going to get out of this one?_  
How did you know about Thomas falling over?"  
"Uhh... umm... lucky guess?" Ada tries.  
"Gonna count to three girl, don't make me hurt you."  
"I worked for Wicked."  
 _Not a total lie._  
"How come I don't remember you?"  
"I was part of the team with Thomas and Teresa and Rachel and Aris." She blurts the names out.  
"Then why don't I know you?" Thomas comes in to view.  
"They did the Swipe right? Removed your memories and they never took the chips from Aris and the others, they just pretended, when they found out I'd gotten out they did another Swipe, taking me from you and the others."  
"I don't believe her." Brenda sneers, "Reckon she's just another Wicked Crank. Let's take her back to Minho, he'll know what to do."  
They bind her hands and Thomas sits next to her with a knife in his hand, just waiting for her to try something.  
They're nearly back to the Colony when a Crank appears out of no where, Brenda swerves on instinct but manages to right the jeep before any serious damage comes to it.  
"The Cranks are getting worse lately, braver." Brenda frowns at the road as she drives and Thomas only stops glancing around the vehicle when they are back inside the barriers of the compound.  
Minho marches over, "what're you doing back?"  
"This shuck reckons she knew us before, said they redid the Swipe." Thomas shoves Ada forwards.  
"That true? You said that?"  
"Yeah, 'cause it's the truth Minho." Ada tries for her most 'honest' face, looking him in the eyes and remaining calm despite the knife pointing at her.  
"Tie her up by the wall, have someone guard her, find her brother and bring him to me."  
"Minho, please. Don't tie me up. If the Cranks really are getting worse I don't want to be tied up in here."  
"Fine. Tomorrow, I'll banish you. Today? Tie her the shuck up and bring me her brother."  
A wave of fear hits Ada like a punch.  
"No! You can't banish me! Shit Minho please!" But her pleas fall on deaf ears and she watches him walk away.


	3. Invasion

The next day arrives and Minho sends someone to untie Ada and bring her to the gates.

Truth is he overreacted, he knew that but he had to stay firm to his word. He knows there's been talk of overthrowing him, 'he's just a boy' and the like so going back on himself would only make things worse.

The punishment was too harsh, particularly because no one can actually prove she did anything.

He'd talked to Linus but all he'd say was that he'd only met her the day everyone escaped. So you know, he knew shuck all.

He tried talking to the batty old woman but she jabbered so quick Minho couldn't understand a word so he gave up on saving the girl. _Shame - she seemed good._

 _Good fighter. Good person. Good looking._

As he thinks the last word he visibly frowns, _that's not how you think of someone you're executing._

Someone leads Ada up the hill towards where Minho stands and he can't help but admire her chill. She is completely calm.

"Alright. Once you're through those doors you'll be treated as a Crank, attack anyone and they kill you. Got it?"

She glares at him.

"Right. Open the gates!" The shanks he stationed on gate duty do as they're told and Ada is shoved through the gap they give her.

She doesn't try to run back inside just watches as they close.

"Well. I'm fucked." She smirks to herself before setting off.

 _First thing - find a weapon._

 _Then shelter._

 _Once you've secured these you can work on food and water._

She snaps a branch from a tree, _better than nothing_.

Ada walks until a big, sturdy tree comes into view. She pulls herself up and relaxes onto one the branches where she rests before beginning on a hunt for food.

She had memories of being a Scout when she was younger in the false happy childhood Ratty gave her, they'd been taught about edible foods and none edible things you find in the woods.

Asparagus.

That's all she remembers, that wild asparagus are edible and through a complete miracle she stumbles across a small patch, which she gathers before running back to her little tree top home and munching.

After eating a little she begins to feel tired and removes her tights which she ties round the tree and herself, binding them together. She then shuts her eyes and nods off.

As the door closes Minho immediately regrets not changing his mind.

She seemed calm, she must've figured she knew what she was doing.

He walks off, people expect him to give a speech about betrayal but he's not in the mood.

"Minho, the jeeps gas line's been cut. We've lost it completely." Matt a nervy boy a little younger than Minho had decided to become his second in command early on, the young lad has great enthusiasm and respect for Minho, so he let him.

Plus he was so similar to Chuck being mean to him would break Minho's heart.

"So someone cut it? Anyone confessed?" Minho speaks, hope infecting his voice.

"No, no clues, no evidence."

"Great. Go tell Brenda and have her investigate-"

"Why the hell did you send my sister away?" Linus steps out from behind a tree, Matt squeals but Minho holds his ground.

"She's suspicious. Can't have that these days."

"Right. That's why you helped us cross to the Flat Trans when we left the Maze. That's why she's been hiding from you and the other Gladers because she's in the wrong. No. No Minho, it's because she cared about you. She cared and she made a deal that if she stayed with Janson then he'd take your memories of her before he took Ada's brain. Her one condition? You, the Gladers, Group B and the other Immunes remained unscathed."

 _He looks so like his sister_. The thought hits Minho before he can stop it.

Memories whir through Minho's head. Somehow finding Linus in the Map Room, he came out of his own accord and managed to get to the Flat Trans without help. Him struggling across the plank of wood, somehow knowing someone else was on the other end holding it, risking their life for his but Minho couldn't see anyone there in his memory.

"What do you mean? They deactivated the chips for most the Gladers and Group B?"

"Is that what Wicked does? Loosen its control? Throw its card out? No. They lie." Linus shakes his head and is about to walk away when he stops, a funny look on his face.

"Linus?"

"There's a gun. In my back." His words are strained and it's clear he's trying to remain calm.

A man steps from behind the tree, keeping his gun moving between Linus and Minho.

"Vince."

"Heard that a colony has formed. Heard it was Immunes run by some kid. Knew it was you lot. Had to be."

"What do you want Vince?"

Crack!

A shot rings out. Minho is temporarily disorientated, when he regains his composure he realises where the bullet went. The boy had tried to run for a branch, was trying to help.

"Matt. Matt you're gonna be okay."

"He won't be Minho, you come with me and you won't get hurt. You too." Vince takes a moment to look at Linus, "you look like that other Immune, the one who snuck into my compound under a car. But slightly more male."

"Twins." Linus responds.

"Ah."

Vince directs them to walk, leave the compound and exit into the forest. As they do Vince wedges one of them open.

"You can't do that, you'll let the Cranks in." Minho protests.

"Want to tell me what I can and can't do one more time boy?" Vince clicks his gun threateningly and Minho shuts up.

Waking with a start Ada finds herself hearing a quiet conversation.

"So where are we going Vince?" Minho?

"You'll see."

"Why do you need me?" Linus.

Ada hastily unties herself and hovers, waiting.

She watches them come into view; Linus, Minho and Vince, the man from the Right Arm who had not been too impressed when the Gladers had abandoned them, has a gun to Minho.

"I need you because I couldn't see Ada, Thomas or any of your little back stabbing friends."

Minho appears deep in thought.

Ada waits until they are directly below her and drops onto Vince, he fires his gun but it misses everything; Linus reacts quickly, knocking the gun from his hand and aiming it at the man, Ada climbs off him.

"Cuff yourself to the tree."

Vince does as he's told with grumbles about damn kids.

Ada grabs Linus' hand and tries to drag him along but her brother stands firm.

"Ada, Minho is a fighte-"

"He threw me out of camp!"

"He can also fight. That would be handy in a- well a fight."

"But-"

"Ada, he's coming." Linus turn to Minho, "you're coming."

The other boy rubs the back of his neck, "fine. We need to get back to camp, get the doors shut."

They traipse back towards the doors however when they get there it becomes clear they were too late. Screaming Immunes and Cranks fought everywhere.

Upon seeing the carnage Ada darts between the doors.

"Ada no!" Somebody shouts and a hand grasps at her arm but she doesn't see who and she doesn't bother to turn round.

One word swims through her mind.

 _Marg_.

She makes it to Marg's tent and falls to her knees. A Crank hunches over the body of her old friend eating; Ada wants to kill it but can't find the strength to get to her feet.

In the end Minho finds her and sees the sobbing figure on the floor, he shoves his knife into the Cranks throat.

"Hey, come on." He helps her to stand, making sure to block her view but she doesn't put her weight onto her feet so in the end Minho lifts her and carries her till he finds Linus, a small group of Gladers behind him.

Minho is relieved to notice Thomas, Brenda, Frypan, Clint, Harriet and Sonya have made it.

But that's all.

"Where's everyone else?" He pleads with them, there has to be others.

Thomas shakes his head, "most of the Immunes from Maze 2 got taken out easily, none have proper fight training and most are too young or too old to fend for themselves, the ones who can fight - ran. These are what's left of us."

Sickness stirs in Minho's stomach, "out of one hundred and twenty? We have nine. Nine."

"What's up with her?" Sonya gestures to the tensed figure in Minho's arms.

"Marg died. She saw a Crank eating her."

"You mean that nut bag old lady she used to hang with?"

The moment the last word leaves her lips Ada is on her, knees either side of her, pinning her hands to the floor, Ada shoves her face into the terrified girl's, "the fuck did you just say?"

"S-sorry. Chill, I didn't mean it."

Ada shoves the girl and stands, "say anything like that again." She warns.

Sonya stands with a scowl.

"What do we do? Our whole camp is destroyed?" Brenda asks.

"We get the shuck out of here. Then we figure out what to do." Minho leads the group through the camp, various Cranks run at them and are speedily knocked down; nobody is in the mood for Cranks right now.

A/N what do you guys think Ada looks like?

I purposely haven't described her or Linus's appearance (minus weight and clothing) and I just wondered.


	4. Cranks

"I need a weapon. All I have is this shuck stick," Ada complains as they make their way through the woods.

Minho glances over his shoulder, "I still don't trust you. For example, where the shuck did you get 'shuck' from?"

"You say it every five minutes," Ada pauses before adding, "slinthead."

Minho scowls but doesn't retort.

"I'd try not to get him angry if I was you," Harriet walks with Ada, "he might just stick you."

"Great, that'd be-" Ada stops, holding her hands out to shut the others up, "did anyone else hear that?"

"Hear what? I didn't hear a-" Ada dives at Minho just in time to watch a Crank lunge out from behind the tree he was stood next to. Ada jumps to her feet and impales the Crank on her stick.

"We should be more careful, they have a pack mentality, there'll be more of them." She sets off after helping Minho to his feet.

Stop being such a grump, it's not his fault he doesn't remember you.

"Thanks," he twirls the knife between his fingers, "for uh- you know."

"It was nothing," Ada says, stopping to break another branch from a tree, hers had gotten stuck in the Crank.

"I'm sorry for saying I don't trust you, it was out of-"

"I get it, I'm suspicious," she tests the stick out, swinging it through the air.

He sighs, "no. You did nothing wrong. We've got people with us who worked for Wicked but they changed their way-" Minho stops and spins to face the others.

"What?"

"Aris. Where's Aris?" Worry lines his voice.

I guess they got to know each other pretty well in the colony, Minho hated him before, he hated Teresa too. Things have happened, people have changed, Ada thinks.

"I don't know," Thomas shrugs, "he hadn't been around all day."

"I saw him talking to some guy, looked suspicious." Sonya says, "hadn't seen the bloke before."

"What did he look like? Weapons?" Minho asks, his down-to-business voice in action.

"Yeah, he had a gun, thought it was for show. Scare tactics. Do you think he was Wicked?"

"I think he was Right Arm, Vince tried to take me and Minho yesterday. Maybe they're gathering us up." Linus pitches.

"How do we get him back?" Harriet asks.

A snort comes from Frypan, everyone turns to stare at him, "get him back? I'm sorry, that shank tries to kill Thomas and shuck knows how many others but you wanna save him?"

"He was under Wicked control then, he's proved since he's a good guy," Thomas speaks with an impassioned tone.

But Frypan looks disgusted, "Thomas? We're really going to save the shank that tried to kill you?"

"Fry, for fucks sake." Ada had been getting more and more frustrated as the argument went on and had finally decided to put an end to it, "Aris was being controlled by Wicked, so was Teresa. We've established that. Now instead of standing here, shouting and attracting everyone damn Crank for a mile radius can we please go?"

Almost as if they had heard her, cries rang through the forest.

"Shit. Everyone get into a circle and hit anything that runs at you." Ada says, her stick coming up into a defensive position, Linus comes to stand next to her, "Linny, get in the middle of the circle and stay there till I-"

"Ada, we're not six anymore. Let me fight." He snaps, she doesn't say anymore so he gets into position next to her.

When the Cranks come they fly from all directions, "stick tight together! Don't let them break the circle or we're screwed!"

Someone yells loudly and suddenly the pack is swamped, people elbow their way through the Cranks, shoving and stabbing and hitting.

Ada breaks through the other side, in her wake lies several dead or unconscious Cranks.

"Linus! Minho?" She screams into the pack.

"He-help!"

She battles over abandoning her friends momentarily, "shit." Before running back in, knocking down as many Cranks as she can.

"Linus?"

"Ada!" She sees her brother, Crank inches from his face he disappears behind another Crank which Ada smacks with her stick.

"Linny I'm coming!"

Linus hears his sister's shout but not what she said, the Crank inches from his face has him a little occupied.

Just as Linus feels the last of his strength sapping, just as he's about to let go a stick appears through the Cranks head and it falls in a heap.

Behind the Crank stands Ada, sweaty and covered in blood but Ada.

"Thanks." He grins breathlessly and she tugs her stick from the Cranks skull.

Another Crank runs at her from behind, "Ada duck!"

Linus throws a fist at the Cranks face and it falls to the floor. Ada stands and grins at him, "thanks. Nearly as cool as me."

Around them Cranks cover the floor, every Crank is dead. Thomas stands, a stunned look on his face.

"Tommy? You okay?" Ada approaches him cautiously.

He just stares at the floor.

"Oh shit- is that?" Sonya lies on the floor, throat torn open.

"AHH!" Minho screams as a group of ten or so Cranks chases him through the trees. He runs at full pelt, faster than he ever ran in the Maze.

Brenda follows them, taking them out one by one and the others are far too stupid to realise

Soon there's one left but Minho's energy is sapping away quickly and he stumbles over a tree root, turning over just in time for the Crank to land in top of him.

The Crank opens its mouth, a sick glee in its eyes and bites down on Minho's arm, moments loser Brenda slices the monster from behind and it falls.

"It bit me."

"Let me look," Brenda squats over him and examines the wound, "it hasn't hit anything major, you should be fine so long as the Crank kept his teeth clean."

"Oh good, my fate depends on a Crank's dental hygiene." Minho snarks but allows Brenda to get out a bottle of water and rinse his arm before tying a piece of her shirt sleeve round the wound.

He stands and she starts walking, "Let's find the others."

"Get off me!" Harriet yells at her captor.

Nothing.

The person had tied something round her face and grabbed her during the fight and was now pulling her through the forest.

She struggles but it's no use and she knows it.

"Guys!" Ada shouts into the woods.

"Hello?" Someone calls.

"Clint? That you?"

"Yeah. It's me."

"Good that."

The boy stands shyly and comes out of the shadows, his face is red and blotchy and it's clear he'd been crying.

"Clint, it's okay. All the Cranks are gone." Ada holds an arm out to show him, "gone."

He stares at the mass of bodies in shock.

"Come here," she tugs him in for a hug, he is reluctant to embrace the stranger at first but he gives in when he realises how much he actually needs it. The two other boys stand and watch in awkward silence as Clint sniffles into her shirt. "It's okay now, they're all dead and we'll find the others. Did you see where any of them went?"

"Frypan ran into the woods and Minho and Brenda ran off together, Minho had like fifty Cranks chasing him but I don't know about Harriet. She just was there and then wasn't." The boy pulls back and wipes his face. "I- um."

"It's fine. Let's find somewhere to settle down for the night and then we'll look for the others in the morning, if we stick relatively close they should be able to find us."

The four of them find a tree and climb, tying themselves down and setting up a guard system before settling down to sleep.

"They should be up here, if I've got my directions right." Brenda and Minho had been walking for about an hour, stopping every now and then because running had taken it out of them both.

"You mean the big angry mob of Cranks should be up here?"

"Yes."

"Good that."

They approach the pile of bodies.

"Looks like we won." Minho smirks but inside he feels a huge sense of relief, he didn't want anymore dead friends.

"I wouldn't be so sure." Brenda was staring at a body and Minho can feel who it is without even looking.

"Sonya."

"Yeah."

"Shuck it." He leans his head against a tree, tensing his arm, "why the shuck is this happening Brenda? Why? We'd finally been somewhere safe for the first time, everything was working but Vince had to come in and turn everything to klunk!"

"I'm sorry Minho. I'm sorry for everything that's happened."


	5. Army

Ada sits up in the tree, she'd opted for first watch knowing that once she is sleeping she doesn't wake easily - plus this way she could stay up for hours and make sure the others got the sleep they needed.

After a while she decides to go for a walk, sitting in the same spot for hours had making her tired - so she unties herself and shimmies down the tree, stick tucked under her arm. She sets out for the Crank pile, Sonya deserves a proper burial.

As she treks the fifteen minute walk back to the Crank pile she hums some song that she remembers was important to her once.

"But what do we do with the body?"

She stops, someone is there. Tiptoeing in to get a better look Ada holds out her stick, readying herself to hit anything that comes towards her.

As she rounds the bough of the big tree a figure comes into view, she slams the stick into its neck whoever it is leaps back in time for the stick not to do any real damage, "what the hell are you doing here?"

"Ada! Stop."

Thomas.

The situation comes into focus and Ada relaxes her arm a little, "sorry. Bit jumpy."

"No kidding." Brenda rubs her neck, she'd been lucky she had jumped back so quickly, if she hadn't she would surely be dead.

"Are you alone?" Minho asks, concern for the strange girl overwhelming him, "What happened?"

"I've got a group of us in a tree, I'm on guard duty."

"A tree?" He snorts.

Ada shrugs, "figure it's safer than the floor."

"Good that."

She observes him for a minute before narrowing her eyes, "what happened to your arm?"

"Crank bit me."

Ada laughs to herself. "You're not gonna go all Walking Dead on me are you?"

"What?"

"Nothing," she starts walking but upon realising the others weren't following says, "come on. I'll take you to the tree."

Thomas wakes when something nudges him, "wh-what?"

"Thomas. Get up." That wasn't Ada, Linus or Clint, he was sure. He opens his eyes but it's dark and he can't really see.

"Untie yourself and get down from the tree, any funny business and you'll be killed."

Thomas does as he's told, worry building inside of him, where is everyone else? When he reaches the base of the tree a torch is shone into his face and he holds a hand up to shield his eyes.

"You want to tell me where the girl is? Or any of your other friends?" A gruff male voice comes from behind the torch.

"No- I don't know. We were all together but then the Cranks ran at us, we lost everyone."

"Take him back. We'll look for the girl and her friends."

Ada reaches the tree, "they're up here."

She pulls herself up into the branches only to find that her friends are gone.

"They're not here?" Ada looks down at Minho and Brenda, "I don't get it. They were definitely here when I left."

She climbs down the tree, swings on a branch and drops to the floor next to Minho, "we have to find them. If Vince got free we are screwed."

"Who says it Vince? Wicked can't have been fully destroyed right? They could be out there, or some other Munie colony."

"Thanks Bren," Ada snarks, "always the optimist."

Brenda smirks, "anytime sweetie."

"Sweetie?" Ada laughs, "what am I? Your pupil, thank god for obi wan."

"Who is Obi Wan?"

"He's a- from-" Ada flaps her hand at the woman, "forget it. No use being friends with people who won't laugh at your movie references."

They all laugh and for a moment they briefly forget their missing friends,

"Knock knock." A whisper.

They stop laughing instantly, each of them getting into a ready position, weapons out, ears pricked.

"Hello?" Tense fear lines Ada's voice but she tries to remain calm.

"Knock knock." More violent, angry. Brenda and Minho swing round towards the source of the voice.

"Hello?" Ada gestures behind her back for Minho and Brenda to go, they leave her side and sneak behind the hiding figure.

"Knock kno-" the sounds of struggling and eventually the figure is shoved from the trees.

A boy lies on the floor, Ada crouches down and turns the kid over, "are you okay?"

"Knock knock." The boy's eyes are wide and glassy. He has black, shaggy hair that clumsily hangs over a furrowed, lived-in face. Hollow amber eyes, set rooted within their sockets and below the left eyebrow a scar that runs from his eye to his mouth.

Eventually Ada sighs and gives in. "Who's there?"

"The good hand of God." A smile distorts the boys face and his scar twists in a way that scares Ada - though she'd never admit it.

Ad closes her eyes, she almost doesn't want to ask. "What?"

"The good hand of God."

" The- The Right Arm?" Ada remembered a little of her Religious Education, everything indicated that the right hand of God is his hand that does 'good' and his left is for doing the Devil's work but she's not sure how well she remembers.

The boy smiles and shakes his head, laughing wildly.

"Ada..." She turns round and sees Minho and Brenda, knives to their necks. She cannot make out the figures behind them as they both wear hoods.

"Shit." She rubs her neck, today has been far too busy. "Who are you?"

The boy leaps to his feet behind her, "we're Azazel's Army."

"Fucking hell." She laughs into the night, "last thing I need is religious nuts right now, just piss off and let me and my friends be. I'm sure there's some other group out there you can harass right?"

"Ahh, we've been told to catch you." He waves a long knife about as he walks, "told you are the one we need." He points the knife at Ada but she manages to not flinch, making sure her face remains in the 'bitch mode' she adopts for these situations.

"Then let these two go, they've got no purpose coming with you."

"It would stop you running if these two came with me, no?"

"Nope. These two shanks mean nothing to me." Ada gives the pair a look of derision, the boy, clearly the leader, smirks.

"You expect me to believe that?"

"We just met. The boy ran the colony I was part of, apart from that I have no clue who these shucks are. In fact, the boy tried to kill me this morning, give me a knife 'cause if love to return the favour."

He swings the knife to her and she takes it, ejecting every bit of anger and hate through her face, turns to Minho.


	6. Tears

Fear burns through Minho's veins.

This girl who claimed to be his friend was going to stab him? Could his be a rouse? Could she have a plan?

She turns to him, nothing but pure hate and anger in her eyes and he knows, knows she's serious.

I'm about to die, after everything I went through in the Maze, this is how I die.

He feels like crying.

The girl lunges at him and he shuts his eyes.

"RUN." The screams burst through his fear, he does as the shout told him and runs, not looking back. Moments later he hears feet pounding next to him and is about to turn round and throw the person to the ground but before he can Ada says, "it's me. Keep going."

"Where's Brenda?" He pants.

"He got her."

Shuck it.

"Keep running. We can't go back for her now." Ada's every fibre wants to turn round and help her but doing so would be a death sentence for her and Minho.

Eventually they stop.

"What was that?" He yells through pants, hunched over with his hands in his knees, Ada sitting against a big tree.

"It was an act. I saved us."

He pleads, "but Brenda-"

"Told me to go!" She shouts, "she wanted me to go, the guy who had her was dragging her off and the weird Satan worshipper was standing up, he was gonna kill us Min, she knew that."

"Swear. Swear she said to leave her."

"I fucking swear okay? I know you don't remember me but I spent that time with you and the others, in the Maze, the Scorch and going about in Denver. I was there and I would never hurt any of you. You guys are my family, were my family." She corrects herself sadly, "But Newt died-"

"What?"

Shit.

It's clear by Minho's face that he was never told.

"Newt died. I'm sorry."

"How?" He tries to put on a brave front but the crack in his voice and the tears forming in his eyes despite the tough face are enough to prove he's shaken.

"The- the- the Flare. He went crazy, pinned me to the floor." This wasn't going to be easy. In her pause Minho had gotten wound up, suddenly he pins her to the tree and presses his hand against her throat.

"WHAT HAPPENED?"

"I shot him."

As if it drains him he slumps down onto the tree.

Ada lifts her shirt to reveal the scarring that remains from Newt's Launcher attack, "he did this to me, when we went to see him in the Griever Palace."

Minho glances up, eyes widening as he takes in the Lightning bolts across her stomach.

"He did that?"

"Yes. He wasn't him Minho, killing him was the best thing to do."

She lets him have his peace for a moment, ignoring his tears and watching the trees for the Devil squad.

"Let's go." Minho stands and helps Ada up. "We need to arm ourselves. I only have my knife and you have a stick."

"Where do we go? It's not like we have any connections?" Ada says, "plus, I need to check your arm. If you were bitten by a Crank it can't be to clean."

"I'm fin-" before he can sulk off Ada shoves him to the floor and removes the bandage.

"Shit..."

"What?"

She presses a hand to his forehead, "you're burning up."

"And?"

"I think it's infected."

"So?"

"We need to treat it or you could die you fucking walnut!" She shouts.

"Hey, hey." He soothes and grabs her wrist when she tries to move away, "we'll sort it. How do you treat infections?"

"Water. We need water." She says, biting her lip deep in thought, "we need water, a compress to press onto the wound and for drinking. I know how to make water sterile for drinking so that's fine. If we rest for a bit then we can get going when it's lighter."

"Alright. Rest and then water." He nods and she relaxes.

They both know they won't sleep and so they settle on enjoying the company, watching the sunrise together.

"You know I recognise you. It's like a feeling of familiarity, I just thought it was some weird 'escaping death thing' but I guess not." Minho says.

"Yeah. I did it so you wouldn't get hurt when I disappeared, I thought it would be best if you all thought I was dead but then Tommy killed Rat Man and my deal was broken but the Wipe was already started so now I'm here without friends."

"I'm sorry. I wish I remembered you, I really do. You seem like a good person."

She slides her hand into his but he jerks his away, "what the-"

"Sorry." She blurts, "I forget... Forgot that we weren't... Aren't..."

"Aren't what?" He asks before realising, "Did we- were we dating before?"

"Yes. No. Not properly but we were close. I mean we... Kissed once or twice."

"We- we kissed?"

"Yes."

"Oh."

"Sorry."

"No, don't be. I'm sorry I forgot."

He likes her.

She seems strong.

He approves of the Minho that forgot.

She looks at him now, sadness in her eyes and he leans in but the second their lips connect she moves back.

"I- I'm sorry. I- you're not- you're not my Minho."

Oh.

Ouch.

"Don't be sorry. I'm sorry I'm not him. Sorry I let them take you from me." Inside he cries.

Cries for Newt. For Sonya and every other person that died because of Wicked.

Cries for himself.

For this girl, this child sitting in front of him, who was brave enough to chose her friend's mental state over her own life in what could have been her last moments and suddenly he is overwhelmed by hatred for Wicked and everything they have done.

Everything.

The Glade.

The Scorch.

The Flare.

Ada.

For what they did to her.

And Newt.

"We'll make things better. We'll change the world. All of us." He reaches out and grips her hand she squeezes back unenthusiastically.

A/N what do you all think?


	7. Fire

They walk for hours but manage to find a water source and Ada sets to work getting a fire started. Minho watches her, the focus on her face is a true testament to this girl's inner strength; she had gone through everything he had but came out of it with no one but her brother, who has his own problems and an old lady, who is dead now anyway.

When the fire begins to grow she rocks back on her feet, "get close to it," she says to him, "I'll work on sanitising some water."

Before he can offer help she is off, they'd found a shallow river that could easily be waded through if push came to shove and she stands in it now, her boots sitting on the bank and her skirt hiked up, he could see scars on her thighs but guessed it wasn't something she wanted to talk about.

He watches her, clearly deep in thought, eventually she turns to him, "have you got anything metal? A bucket would be ace but the knife could work if it had to. I left the Devil Troupe's knife in the guy I stabbed."

"I don't. I don't even have my knife, I think I dropped it." He winces at her expression change.

"Right," she says biting her lip, "I can work around that. I can. Pass us your shirt."

He grips his top like a child with a toy, "what?" He has no idea why minds, normally the first thing he'd do was rip his shirt off but she was different, he felt self conscious.

"I need it, to use as a compress for your arm, dick." She adds the last word as an after thought and holds her hand out, "you gave it to me before."

"What?"

"We were in the Maze, I needed to pull Ford along, he'd collapsed. Now give me the shuck shirt!"

"Use your own!"

"Oh for fucks... Fine." She removes her top, tears it into strips and dunks one in the water. It had startled him, her readiness. "I'm doing this for you, best thing you can do is not stare at a girl in her bra okay?"

He nods and looks away, she comes over and removes his bandage. He feels the cool water dripping on his arm and glances at her, all of her attention goes into not hurting him, making him feel bad for forcing her to strip off.

She wraps a strip of top around his bite before walking back to the water, cupping her hands and drinking; then she pulls her boots back on and sits by the fire.

"Go to sleep, I'll stay watch." She orders.

"No."

"Min, if you're going to act like a five year old this isn't going to work." She glares at him through the fire, "we have no resources, no weapons and one top between us. We're going to need to find our friends- your friends and to do that we need to find some resources. There's nowhere to scavenge, there's still going to be Cranks at the colony and two groups of angry people who want me dead are coming after us. So go to fucking bed Minho."

"Ada. You sleep, I'll stand guard."

"You need sleep."

"From what I gather you've had no sleep in the past two days so sleep." She glares at him for a moment but finally she settles down to sleep.

 _She looks cold_ , he thinks, _I should give her my top but I'm pretty sure she'd get mad if I gave it to her now. The time for chivalry has passed._

He pokes at the fire and watches her sleep.

"Is she that kind of girl?" An amused voice seems to come from all around, Minho gets to his feet. "She'll just strip off for any stranger?"

"Is it you? The guy from earlier?" Minho growls, "where is Brenda?"

The dark figure steps out from the shadows, "with the rest of your friends."

"What?"

"Come with me. I can take you to them, I'll let you all go, all I need is her." He points to Ada.

"No. I'll get them back and keep Ada."

The boy laughs. "Is that what you think? You think everything will turn out fine? The good guys win? Well, it's worked so far right? I mean, near enough all of your friends are dead, that's a good turn out-"

His last words disappear into the floor, he had been pacing as he spoke, gotten too close to the 'sleeping' Ada and she had thrown herself at him, he now lies face down on the floor.

"What gives you the fucking right to come here and talk about my friends?" Ada kneels on his back, pulling his face up so he can talk.

"This is kind of hot you know." He says a smarmy hint to his voice, so she shoves his head into the sand and removes his jacket which she pulls on and zips up.

"He's fucking pathetic, hand me a piece of top and I'll gag him." Minho does as he's told and she ties the material round his mouth, she yanks the boy to his feet.

He starts to make hideous groaning sounds that are clearly meant to resemble sex or something so she punches him.

She takes another piece of shirt and ties his hands together tightly before patting him down for weapons, "good news Min, we've got a knife each." She presents the two blades and he takes one, she tucks the other in her waistband, "that's better."

"What do we do with him? Dump him in the water?" Minho smiles.

"Nah, bring him with us." Minho looks startled so she explains herself, "He's the leader of his little band of cronies, we can use him as a bargaining chip to get the others back."


	8. Choice

"Alright. You're gonna tell us where our friends are and then you're gonna tell us how many guards there are." Ada says, knife in hand. Minho holds him against the tree.

"You two make a good team." The boy sneers.

"Yep." Ada chooses to ignore him, "where are our friends?"

"I'll tell you. I'll show you." Minho grabs the boy by his shirt collar and pulls him to his feet but the boy won't move, "I'll show her."

Minho laughs, "are you jacked?"

"Fine." Ada nods, "I'll go with him. Min, you stay here."

"What? No!"

"Minho, he has a plan and either we go along with it or we lose our friends." Minho is still shaking his head when she leans in and whispers into his ear.

She grabs the devil boy off Minho and starts walking.

"What's you name? I feel weird referring to you as 'boy'." They'd been walking for about half an hour in dead silence and Ada was getting nervous.

"Malvado." He puts an accent full of pretension on and Ada snorts.

"Malvado? Like evil in Spanish?" He nods, "bit obvious isn't it?"

Mal glowers at her.

"Touchy... How about the scar? What happened there?"

A short pause before he says, "You wanna know how I got these scars? My father, was a drinker, and a fiend. And one night, he goes off crazier than usual. Mommy gets the kitchen knife to defend herself. He doesn't like that. Not. One. Bit. So, me watching, he takes the knife to her, laughing while he does it. He turns to me and says, "Why so serious?" Comes at me with the knife. "WHY SO SERIOUS?" He sticks the blade in my mouth... "Let's put a smile on that face." And... Why so serious?"

Ada stops walking and looks at him before letting out a brief laugh, "where did you see Dark Knight?"

A dark spark in his eye and a small flicker of a smile twists Mal's face.

"How much further?"

"Not far. Just in there." He points to a gap in the trees, it looked almost like a cave.

"Anyone else inside?"

"No."

"You stay here." Ada unties his hands and attaches him to a tree.

She edges into the trees, knife in front of her, ready to attack.

It's only once she's through the tree line that she knows she doesn't need it.

Clint.

Dead.

He hangs from the ceiling.

His lifeless body hanging sadly.

This isn't how this was supposed to happen.

"No..."

"Yes, Ada. Yes," She spins Malvado stands behind her, suave grin on his face, palms spread apart.

"How? Why? Why would you kill Clint?"

"I didn't kill Clint." He prods her chest, "you killed him. When you told your friend to follow us, you signed this boy's death warrant."

She throws herself on the boy, similar to the way she had with Gally.

"I fucking hate you you fucking shit all Clint ever did was help people he was a good person you fucking shit." Ada feels herself being pulled off the boy, she kicks out but whoever it is holds onto her limbs.

"Ada!" Minho yells, someone's holding him back as well but he puts up more of a struggle. He hasn't noticed the body hanging and they're dragged out before he can register who it is.

"Mal you dick!" Ada shouts.

"Put her do-" the rest of Minho's words are hidden by the making tape and soon Ada is silenced too.

"We're taking you to your friends, come quiet and no more of them die." Mal turns and marches off, Ada and Minho glance at each other nervously but allow themselves to be dragged off.

Aris glances around the cave where they are being held, muscular men stand threateningly glaring at the small group, "where are we?"

Silence.

"Why do you want us?"

Nothing.

"Aris, just slim it." Harriet says, he's about to respond when grunting and grumbling shuts him up, the Gladers and Icers look at each other nervously.

Don't let it be Ada. Don't let it be Ada. But sure enough, Ada and Minho are dragged in by that weird Devil person. Ada wears some kind of jacket that's far too big for her and Minho looks dizzy and angry, the latter of the two isn't unusual. They both have tape over their mouths and clearly haven't noticed the others yet.

The devil boy grabs Ada by the shoulders and rips he tape from her mouth, "we have all of your friends and we will kill them if you don't cooperate."

She looks dead, the hope gone from her eyes, "you win. Okay? Kill me. Sacrifice me. Whatever shuck thing it is you need me for but let my friends- let them go."

"You killed my friend." He spits, "he was a good man and you stabbed him in cold blood." From where he stands Minho sees her blood boil, he can't wait to watch this girl tear into the big shit, where did that come from? That wasn't a Glader word?

"I'm sorry," she bites her lip, "I didn't want to. I was trying to stab him!" She glares at Minho, his eyes full of hurt.

"Oh?" Mal grins. Hook, line and sinker.

"Yes and then he took my top and made it into bandages for himself! Like so selfish." Oh good god, this is painful.

"What a bastard!" Mal says and sidles towards her, his body pressing into hers and she forces herself to not wrinkle her nose, "you're in good hands now, no weirdos."

She flicks her eyes to his lips and she knows he gets the message because he leans in and kisses her, it's not bad but it feels awful. She slides a hand to his knife and pulls it free.

"I don't think so sweetheart." He grabs her arm tightly before she can use the knife, he squeezes until she drops it, hate filling her eyes. He pulls her with him, dragging her into another room and Minho is released to his friends, who start to stand but a quick glare from the guards stops that, instead Minho crouches with them.

"What happened?"

"They've been grabbing us one by one, most of us got taken in the Crank attack," Thomas says grimly, "Gally was gone for a week and Aris they took a few days ago."

Minho nods and looks around at the faces, "glad to see so many made it."

Aris, Gally, Brenda, Thomas and Frypan sit in a close group, a few others that Minho doesn't recognise sit around them.

"Jorge?"

Brenda shakes her head sadly.

"Sorry."

"You didn't kill h-"

A loud yell comes from the room Ada had been pulled into.

"What about Linus? Where's her brother?"

"Haven't seen him but they've been hiding someone in that room."

The cocky boy strolls out, a satisfied grin plastered on his face, Ada strolls out sadly behind him, tears fall down her face. Minho leaps to his feet and helps the girl to sit with them.

"What happened?"

She shakes her head.

"Ada, what happened?" Panic fills his voice.

"Nothing. Go. Leave me alone." She brings her knees to her chest.

"Look," Gally starts getting angry, "shank, I don't know you-"

"Really?" She chuckles slightly, "check your thigh, I stabbed you with a pencil in the Glade, Wicked had control of your mind, wanted to hurt me. They wiped your memories, not your scars."

Gally narrows his eyes but the looks he gets from the others let him know he has to. He edges to a corner and yanks his shorts down slightly.

"Shuck it..." He mutters, staring at a small pencil sized scar on his leg.

The group look at each other, the scar is there, she was telling the truth.

"It's there, isn't it?" She says, "now. Leave me alone, I need to think."

"Think about what?" Minho asks.

"Shut up and let me think."

How am I meant to make that choice? How the fuck do I decide? She thinks.

When Malvado took her into the room he'd shown her her brother, tied to a chair and beaten. She was given the choice to sacrifice him or the rest of her friends.

She had been given a day.

Twenty four hours.

Who the fuck does she pick?


	9. Devil

Everybody watches the hunched figure in the corner, they know something is happening but Minho was making people leave her alone, it was clear she was in need of space.

They all sit in silence, even the guards are still. So when Ada shakily gets to her feet and walks over to where the scarred boy stands everyone holds their breath. It's clear she's been crying, she sniffles as she walks but when she makes it to him her shoulders go back and her head stands tall.

Good for you, Minho thinks, don't let him phase you.

"So, you've made your decision?"

"Yes."

"And?" He holds out his hands, "who are you going kill? These people?" A demonic spark flashes in his eyes, "or your brother?"

The group on the floor gasp collectively, those were the options? They were screwed.

"I chose," she inhales deeply, "neither."

He laughs, as if this must be some kind of joke, "that's not how this works. Either you kill someone or we kill everybody."

"Kill me."

He rolls his eyes, "no."

"Yes. You need someone dead? You kill me. Let these klunks go."

The boy signals for two of the guards, who grab her and hold her still, pulling her head round to bare the small space behind her ear, he is about to put a knife to it when Minho stands up.

"Stop."

The boy smirks, "what?"

"Min, sit down. Please. I'm not letting anyone-"

"If you hurt me, she'll give you a name. I know she will. Just, don't hurt her." Minho's voice is unsure and he begins to wonder if he made the right choice.

The devil boy laughs, "isn't this interesting." He holds out his hands and walks around the group, an overly cocky gesture, "There never was a story of more woe than this of Juliet and her Romeo."

"Piss off Shakespeare." Ada spits, Minho just looks baffled.

The others look on in confusion but ready to attack when whatever plan Minho had played out.

"Maybe I kill you both. Maybe I make things more interesting?" Malvado laughs and taps Ada's chest with his knife, "maybe you've annoyed me to my limit. Maybe I just kill your friends and your brother?"

But Ada bristles, "That's not how you work. You want me to decide, want it to be my fault," she nods as she speaks, it surpasses her as to why someone would want to cause her such deep psychological issues for her, "want me to remember killing them for the rest of my life."

A lazy smile curls Malvado's face, "bingo."

"Why?" It takes everything in her not to throw herself at this smarmy boy, well, that and the two guards holding her still.

"Because Azezal spoke to me," Mal flicks his knife across the skin behind her ear, she doesn't wince but her stomach muscles tense, "he says you are the Lamb of God."

"The Lamb of-" a chill runs through Ada, "No. The Lamb of God is Jesus. I am not Jesus. My dad is Rat Man. I am the daughter of a Rat. Find your fucking symbolism somewhere else."

"Azezal says that the Lamb of God shall become a Goat upon ridding themselves of their sheep."

"You mean my friends? You want to kill these guys? You're fucking- leave me alone!" The blood trickles down her face and she has to spit it out.

"No. I want a decision." He places the tip of his knife on the girl's ear and presses down, tearing through the skin.

Brenda watches from her position on the floor, she'd tried to jump up and help the girl but a guard had planted one hand firmly on her shoulder and shoved her to the floor.

Frypan had averted his eyes and blocked his ears and forced himself to remember back to the good old days in his kitchen.

Thomas and Aris watch in fascination and horror.

Gally was being pinned to the floor, a boot on his chest; he didn't know the girl but she seemed good and this... Torture was not something he wished on anyone.

Minho had been strapped to a table leg, the table itself was secured to the floor. He screamed and pulled on the bindings but he was held in place.

Ada focused her every energy on not yelling out, she tensed her stomach muscles and bit her tongue but she would not give this jumped up devil worshipper the pleasure of hearing her plead. Blood trickles from the ever growing wound on the side of her face and soon she cannot see anything for it.

The pain stops suddenly and Mal pulls her to her feet, "clearly that's not going to work."

She wipes the blood off her face with Malvado's jumper and spits the blood from her mouth to his feet, "I won't kill anyone."

"You will. Give me time." Malvado smirks and strolls away.

Ada is shoved to the floor in front Minho, "are you okay?"

"Perfect." She has to battle with the never ending flow of blood.

Brenda elbows her way in, "let me look at that," she says, "it's going to need to be bandaged." And Brenda proceeds to tear some cloth from the bottom of her trousers and press it to her neck. "You'll be fine but it's going to leave a nasty scar."

"That's fine," Ada takes over holding the thing to her neck and tries to stand up but falls down onto Minho, "shit, sorry."

"Don't... Don't worry about it."

She squeezes his hand, "that self sacrificial klunk is crap. You should know that." She shoots Minho a sad smile and he returns it.

Gally sits up in the corner, when Malvado left his guards stormed out with him, and Ada stumbles her way to him, "I saw what you did for me there. Thanks."

"Don't mention it," he grumbles, rubbing the bruise on his head.

"No. Really." She sits next to him, "I wouldn't have blamed you for sitting still, these people are pretty scary."

"Yeah, well. Sorry."

"W-what?"

"Sorry, for whatever I did to make you stab me. It-"

"No. Wicked were controlling you."

"I would have known what I was doing. I could have fought it, I could hav-"

"Don't start with could haves Gally, just don't. It happened."

"Sorry anyway."

Somebody has freed Minho and they sit around, one more Gathering, nobody has eaten for at least a day or two so everyone is a little touchy.

"What do we do?" Brenda asks once everyone has settled.

"Kill her brother." Everyone turns to look at the source, Frypan sits curled up in the corner, he shakes and it kills Ada to see him.

"No." Ada says, "I can't. They want me to kill whoever it is and I can't kill Linus, not like that." Frightened looks pass between the group so she adds, "I'm not killing any of you either. Believe it or not we were family once and I won't kill any of my family."

"So what do we do? One dies or we all die?" Thomas says.

"Or." Ada says, the others already know they won't like her suggestion, "I let him cut me, hurt me and you live. Eventually I'll bleed out and he'll have to let you go."

"What kind of slinthead idea is that?"

"Min, look, we're not getting out of here. The guards are bigger than us, they have Linus locked up and I need- what? What's that look for?" Minho had suddenly started giving her the strangest smile. "Min? What's up?"

"Ada. It's you."

"Minho?"

"I remember Ada. I- you," his face turns to anger, "you shank! You dumb shank slinthead klunk-" his face crinkles as he tries to recall the other words, "you thought that was smart? Making us forget you?"

"Minho?" Her face lights up and she hugs him, "Minho you're back."

"Wait. What happened?" Brenda pulls the pair apart, "what just happened?"

"It was- it was like a door opened in my brain and she just appeared in all my memories."

Ada beams, this is the best thing that has ever happened, I needed Minho back. Everything was too hard with him gone.

"Could this be Wicked's doing?"

"No way!"

"Wicked's gone."

"But are they?"

Voices pile on top of one another but one phrase stands out.

"We still haven't found Harriet, Sonya and Clint."

Ada looks down and everybody waits for her, "they're dead. Sonya and Clint."

"Wha- how?" Frypan asks.

"Sonya got killed when the Cranks attacked and Clint... Clint was..."

"The kid. The Devil klunk that hurt Ada." Minho's eyes are dark and Ada squeezes his hand.

"Mal. His names Malvado." Ada says quietly, "it means evil in Spanish."

"I don't give a klunk what his name means!" Gally groans, "I want to know why that shank killed Clint."

Minho and Ada say nothing, it would only add to the divide.

"We need to focus on getting Linny and getting out." Ada says and they begin to devise a plan.


End file.
